Find out how popular the last name Motton is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Motton.

Motton, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Motton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Motton in America

Motton is the 40672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Motton surname appeared 537 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Motton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Motton to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Motton

The surname Motton originates from England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mot," which means a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to refer to someone who lived near a small hill or mound.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest known record of surnames in England, there are several entries related to the name Motton or its variations, such as "Motun" and "Mottun." These entries are found in counties like Shropshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, indicating that the name was prevalent in these regions during the Norman conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Motton is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named William Motton is mentioned as a landowner. Another early reference is in the Assize Rolls of Somerset from 1243, which lists a Robert Motton.

Over the centuries, the name has been associated with various places in England, such as Motton in Bedfordshire and Mutton Hall in Suffolk. It's possible that some individuals may have derived their surname from these place names or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Motton include:

1. John Motton (c. 1480 - 1554), an English churchman who served as the Archdeacon of Stow from 1524 to 1554.
2. Thomas Motton (c. 1520 - 1590), an English clergyman and scholar who was the Rector of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk.
3. William Motton (c. 1550 - 1612), a Member of Parliament for the borough of Beverley in Yorkshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
4. Richard Motton (c. 1590 - 1668), an English landowner and magistrate who served as the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1647.
5. Mary Motton (c. 1630 - 1706), an English diarist and writer known for her detailed accounts of life in 17th-century England.

While the surname Motton is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, with ties to various regions and notable individuals who have borne the name over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Motton

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Motton.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Motton was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Motton has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Motton was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Motton, please contact us.

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